Warning Sends Hawaii Flight Back To O'hare

September 07, 2000

O'HARE AIRPORT — A United Airlines flight en route to Honolulu Wednesday morning dumped its fuel and returned to O'Hare International Airport when a warning light came on after take-off, a United spokeswoman said.

With one of its three engines shut down, the flight, which was carrying 269 passengers and 12 crew members, landed without incident, said spokeswoman Chris Nardella.

Preliminary findings indicated the DC-10 had blown one of its pneumatic ducts.

Because the plane, which left O'Hare at 10:22 a.m., was carrying enough jet fuel for the long flight to Hawaii, it was too heavy to land unless fuel was released, she said. Kurt Ebenhock, another United spokesman, said fuel usually evaporates in the air before hitting the ground.

Jim O'Connell, a gravel truck driver on Illinois Highway 72, said he spotted the plane near Gilberts. "The plane was real low; it was coming directly at me," he said. "I noticed there was fuel being dumped; it was coming off both wings."